It was a signing that, in truth, left many a little underwhelmed last week.

Tom Carroll's return to Swansea City was certainly welcome given the need for fresh impetus, but there was doubt as to whether the technically gifted midfielder was the man to inspire a turnaround in fortunes that could see the club pull off a survival mission that has seemed almost impossible.

He may have been back at the club for just a matter of days – having played just 90 minutes of football in the previous 38 days – but the 24-year-old looked like a man who had been pulling the strings in a Premier League midfield for several years.

Here, we look at some of the key areas where the former Tottenham man made a difference on Merseyside.

Cool in possession

For any man brought in to get Swansea ticking, the ability to move the ball at a good tempo and work the angles is a must. Carroll certainly delivered in this area.

One notable moment came as Swansea weathered some early Liverpool pressure. Carroll pinched the ball and fed fellow debutant Martin Olsson. As the full-back passed to Jack Cork, Carroll pushed out into space to create a simple pass for his midfield colleague.

Carroll was composed throughout

As he received the ball, Carroll was instantly faced by two pressing Liverpool defenders. Without a moment’s hesitation, Carroll performed a neat pirouette and then calmly beat the press with an angled return to Cork, who then looked to move the ball on to Olsson. From pressure to attack in five passes, thanks to Carroll getting his geometry right.

Countless times he moved the ball on quickly, but also then moved to create the angle for a return ensuring he helped keep Swansea moving with what little ball they had.

Read More

Boundless energy

A lack of tempo and energy has been a real bugbear of several Swansea performances this season, Carroll provided some much-needed spark with his keenness to find pockets of space between the Liverpool midfield and rearguard.

One example came when his cross struck the post after flicking off Dejan Lovren. Carroll had just performed returned the ball to Gylfi Sigurdsson from a throw but rather than stop and wait for another pass, he noticed his marker standing the wrong side of him, ball watching near the touchline. In a flash he was on the run, Sigurdsson spotted him and he very nearly gave Swansea the lead.

Carroll was everywhere on the pitch

It was similar for the second goal. Carroll’s slide-rule pass to Olsson was a beauty, taking the defender out of play and sending the ball into the stride of the Sweden international.

However, the move looked to be in danger of losing momentum as Olsson found himself faced by three red shirts on the left-hand side of the area with no support. Enter Carroll again, the midfielder makes a colossal effort to make up the yardage to his full-back and then overlaps him – as the three defenders simply watch him burst past them – and then produces a wonderful cross which is met by a towering header from Llorente for a two-goal lead.

Read More

Diligent in defence

Carroll makes the difference at the back

The advantage did not last long as Roberto Firmino soon got Liverpool on level terms. All the money would have been on the hosts going on to win it from there, but Swansea dug in with Carroll, Cork and Leroy Fer doing some diligent work ahead of their back four. He may not be the most physical of players but Carroll showed his ability to read the game and break up attacks.

He snuffed out one threatening Adam Lallana raid by nipping in to steal the return pass and then, after a moment of confusion with Alfie Mawson next to him, coolly sent the ball into a wide area for Cork to clear.

Read More

Attacking desire

While the pressure was being piled on, Carroll retained his desire to get forward and made yet another key contribution when a throw in found Fer in an advanced position.

Carroll's dynamic surge forward set up the Gylfi Sigurdsson winner

The Dutchman fed the ball to the feet of Llorente, who was backing in to his marker, but it was Carroll who have the Spaniard the simple option of the lay-off, having chosen to be the extra man rather than just sit deep and wait for another Liverpool attack.

He skips inside one challenge and forces Ragnar Klavan to put a foot in and tee up Sigurdsson’s winner.